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Pig and cattle health projects receive funding boost
The funding will help to progress two projects focussing on pig and cattle health.
Two projects receive more than three million in funding to progress. 

Researchers at the Pirbright Institute have received €3.5 million in funding to proceed with two projects designed to improve the health of cattle and pigs.

The funding will be used to tackle three livestock viruses - bovine respiratory syncytial virus (BRSV) in cattle, and porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV) and African swine fever virus (ASFV) in pigs. 

The first project, named NEOVACC, aims to develop vaccine strategies to improve the protection of newborn animals against BRSV and PRRS - the latter of which costs the global pig industry an estimated €1.5 billion a year. 

Professor Simon Graham said: “We are excited to begin work on the NEOVACC project. The consortium brings together a range of complementary expertise and knowledge to apply to our novel vaccine strategies, which we hope will provide young animals with enhanced protection against two important endemic diseases.” 

The second project, named ASFVInt, aims to identify the roles of around half of the 150-170 genes contained in the ASFV genome. This fatal pig disease was thought to have caused China US$141billion in direct economic losses in 2019 and continues to pose a risk to economies across the globe. 

Led by Pirbright’s Dr Chris Netherton, the project will see six partners receive €1.4 million to investigate 80 ASFV genes and decipher what they each do during infection. 
The team will use the data to see if there are specific genes that are important for replication or that the virus uses to avoid the pig immune response - research that could lead to the development of new antivirals or vaccines. 

Dr Chris Netherton said: “Control measures against ASFV are limited by our relatively poor understanding of how ASFV manipulates the host immune response. 

£The ASFVint project will help fill this gap by bringing together expertise from a range of disciplines brought by partners drawn from across Europe. Together we hope to build a road map which help uncover novel ways to combat this fascinating but dangerous virus.”

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Practices urged to audit neutering data

News Story 1
 RCVS Knowledge has called on vet practices to audit their post-operative neutering outcomes.

It follows the release of the 2024 NASAN benchmarking report, which collates data from neutering procedures performed on dogs, cats and rabbits.

The benchmarking report enables practices in the UK and Ireland to compare their post-operative outcomes to the national average. This includes the rate of patients lost to follow-up, which in 2024 increased to 23 per cent.

Anyone from the practice can submit the data using a free template. The deadline for next report is February 2026.

Visit the RCVS Knowledge website to complete an audit. 

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News Shorts
RCVS pays tribute to well-loved equine vet

The RCVS and the Riding Establishments Subcommittee has paid tribute to well-loved veterinary surgeon and riding establishment inspector, Rebecca Hamilton-Fletcher MRCVS.

Linda Belton MRCVS, RCVS President, said: "I, along with my colleagues on the RESC, RCVS Council, RCVS Standards Committee, as well as RCVS staff, was very saddened to hear of the sudden death of Rebecca, or Becca as we knew her, last week.

"She was a true advocate for equine welfare and in her many years on the RESC worked to continually improve the quality and consistency of riding establishment inspections, all in the interests of enhanced horse welfare and rider safety."